Anti-Social Behaviour Awareness Week 2023
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Merseyside Police is supporting Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) Awareness Week, which commences today (Monday 3 July) and aims to highlight the impact of ASB and bring people and organisations together to make their communities safer.
As part of our ongoing work to tackle anti-social behaviour, officers will be out and about across Merseyside, working with partners, speaking to the public about any concerns around ASB, and targeting offenders.
Now in its third year, this national campaign is organised by ASB and community safety specialists RESOLVE, and is backed nationally by the Home Office, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, Local Government Association (LGA), National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) and the National Fire Chiefs’ Council (NFCC).
Assistant Chief Constable Jon Roy at Merseyside Police said: “Anti-social behaviour is a broad term, and it can include graffiti, littering, vandalism, nuisance riding of scrambler bikes, drinking in outdoor spaces such as shopping centres and parks, and aggressive or intimidating behaviour. For many people in our communities, it is one of their biggest concerns and that is why tackling ASB is an everyday commitment for us and our partners in Merseyside.
“We are encouraging people to report instances of ASB, because although reports of this type are 9.6% lower for the first six months of the year in comparison to 2022, we know that some people don’t report ASB when they see it or experience it. We are better able to tackle these problems when people report what is happening in their community, so please tell us.
“During this awareness week, we will also be highlighting the provisions of the ASB Case Review (formerly known as the community trigger), which gives victims of persistent anti-social behaviour the right to request a multi-agency case review. We don’t underestimate the impact that ASB can have on individuals and communities, particularly when victims are experiencing it repeatedly. All local authorities have a link on their website that you can use to request a case review.
“Some of the policing activities planned for the week include focusing on specific concerns raised by local communities, increased patrols in parks and town centres, and other hotspots that will see targeted days of action. There will be plenty of partnership work too, with joint patrols and walkabouts, plus school talks on ASB and water safety.”
Merseyside’s Police and Crime Commissioner Emily Spurrell said: “Tackling and preventing anti-social behaviour is something that matters to communities right across Merseyside. That is why I made it a key priority in my Police and Crime Plan.
“ASB can have a hugely damaging effect on the people who witness and experience it. If that behaviour becomes persistent then the consequences can become devastating for communities and the people who live there.
“Work to stop ASB goes on all year round, but this week presents an opportunity for all of our partner agencies, right across Merseyside, to come together to showcase some of the proactive initiatives helping people feel safer and happier in the places that they live.”
Rebecca Bryant OBE, Chief Executive of Resolve added: “ASB is not low-level. It can have a devastating and long-lasting impact on the lives of victims and communities and can be a precursor to more serious crime.
“It is important that the challenge of ASB continues to be given the priority it needs so that people everywhere feel safe in their homes and communities.
“We are delighted that Merseyside Police and local partners are supporting this hugely important campaign. It is vital to develop partnership approaches across communities to deal with the growing challenges around ASB.”
If you are experiencing anti-social behaviour or are a victim of a crime you are encouraged to report this to Merseyside Police via the force website here: www.merseyside.police.uk/ro/report
You can also report via social media direct messaging to the force’s account @MerPolCC on Facebook and Twitter. Alternatively, you can call 101.
You can also anonymously tell us about areas where you feel unsafe because of anti-social behaviour via ‘StreetSafe’: www.merseyside.police.uk/notices/street-safe/street-safe
The information you submit will help us to identify the areas that need improvements to make our streets safer. Note, 'StreetSafe' is not for reporting crime or incidents.
Links to request an ASB case review at each local authority in Merseyside